Coronavirus testing procedures at FCHC

The Falls Community Hospital and Clinic is following procedures from the Center for Diseases Control and Prevention on how to access the priority levels of incoming patients. 

Cases reported elsewhere have seen symptoms ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness and death. Symptoms such as fever, dry cough, and shortness of breath may appear 2-14 days after exposure.

Falls Community Hospital and Clinic has put a number of screening procedures in place upon arrival to the facility. They have also set up hotlines for community members to call and report symptoms before arriving. They even have a system in place where nurses will meet you at your vehicle to conduct screenings in order to limit exposure to elderly patients housed in the facility. 

Testing for coronavirus priority levels are as follows, assuming the patient is showing symptoms for priorities one and two:

• Priority 1: hospitalized  patients and healthcare facility workers
• Priority 2: Patients in long-term care facilities, those aged 65+, those with underlying conditions, and first responders.
• Priority 3: Infrastructure workers with symptoms, any individual with symptoms, healthcare facility workers and first responders not showing symptoms, and individuals with mild symptoms in areas with many hospitalizations.
• Non-priority: Individuals without symptoms

These guidelines set for healthcare workers are meant to ensure that all patients are given optimal care options, while lessening the risk of health/public care-associated infections. It assesses patients with highest risk of complications first, while also decreasing community spread. 

The priority levels mean that the testing of other individuals will happen as resources allow. 

The Center for Disease Control website has resources available to help individuals understand the virus, its symptoms, and how to protect yourself from it. Visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/ for more information.

FCHC COVID-19 hotline: (254) 252-9387. FCHC COVID-19 Clinic Provider: (254) 252-2491.

Head to http://www.fallshospital.com/ for more information.